SLY GROG EVIL

Greymouth Evening Star, 16 April 1940, Page 3

SLY GROG EVIL

KING COUNTRY TRAFFIC. The remark that in spite of the activity of the police sly-grog selling was not in any way decreasing in the Northern King Country was made by Sergeant Campagnolo when three men accused of sly-grog selling in country districts appeared before Mr W. H. Freeman, in the Te Ktiiti Police Court, last week. One month’s imprisonment and lines totalling £35, with costs £5/5/-, were imposed upon Alexander Hector Davidson, of Piopio. Davidson, who had been convicted and fined by 'the' Court during December last, was stated by Sergeant Campagnolo to have been trading in a larger way than any other person that had come under his notice in the district, having since October, 1938, performed no work except to travel around the country selling liquor. It was related to the Court how the Hamilton police had telephoned Sergeant Clist, of To Awamufu, to follow Davidson’s car until it was intercepted by Sergeant Campagnolo at Te Kuiti, but shortly after entering the King Country proclaimed area Davidson turned off along a side road. He was stopped and 25 dozen large bottles of ale were found and seized. The following day Sergeant Campagnolo seized a further quantity of liquor from Davidson at Piopio. Davidson had returned' to Hamilton and secured an other 10 dozen bottles.

An interesting feature of the case was that no order could be riiqde for the confiscation of the- 25 dozen bottles, as Sergeant Clist had not had time before leaving Te Awamiitu to take out a search warrant.

The penalty imposed on Albert Patrick Barnett, carrier, of Arii, for keeping liquor for sale at. Aria was £3O, and on a further charge of failing to, notify liquor being- brought into the King Country he was fined £5. Several brewing plants were '[found by the police. In one- place searched was a structure referred to as a rough bar counter. Pendar Swann, of Kopaki, was fined £5O for keeping liquor for sab at Kopaki, and £5 for failing to lotify liquor, brought into, the King Couhtry.